What does "Be fruitful and multiply" mean?

In the Judeo-Christian scripture called בראשית (Berashith) or Genesis is a statement that is often quoted but rarely understood.

This is how it has been studied in English for many centuries:

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply..." - Genesis 1

Since this verse was originally written in Hebrew , the meaning can be found in the Hebrew words and letters. Let us look at a more accurate translation that preserves several key Hebrew words.

First, however, it must be understood that the Hebrew scripture does not have the word "God," as written in English. Instead, the entire first chapter of Genesis refers to אלהים Elohim. The Hebrew word Elohim is plural, and is derived from El (God) united with Eloah (Goddess), forming the plural Elohim, which means "God and Goddess" or "Gods and Goddesses." Therefore, Genesis or creation is a work of Gods, male and female, which is only natural, since all other forms of creation are sexual, too.

"Then אלהים [Elohim] said, “Let Us [God and Goddess] make Adam in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let [Adam] rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Elohim created Adam in their own image, in the image of Elohim [they] created Adam; male and female [in other words, androgynous] Elohim created [Adam]. And Elohim blessed them [the nephesh chaiah], and Elohim said unto them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply [רבה]...'" - Genesis 1:28

The second important point here is that Adam is created in the image (tselem) of the Elohim: male-female, in other words, as an androgynous being. Only later is Adam divided into two sexes. Thus, the command given in this passage is not for those who are already divided into two sexes (such as you and me).

Finally, the English translations render רבה as "multiply," but the word itself is actually "Rabbi." Therefore, the command is correctly interpreted as an instruction given to the androgynous Adam—or those who have restored that level of spiritual development in themselves by returning to Eden and solving the mistake made by Adam and Eve—and that command is: "Be fruitful, be a Rabbi (a Master)."

Thus, you can see quite easily that the actual meaning of this scripture is vastly different from what is taught commonly.

The command to "Be fruitful and multiply" is given by God several times in the Book of Genesis, and this is often misinterpreted by modern readers as a justification for Fornication. However, the Gospels make it quite clear that the children of Fornication are not what God desires from us.

"They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of Fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." – John 8:39-44

Genesis Chapter 1 verse 28 states: "Be fruitful and multiply."

To be fruitful signifies to transmute and sublimate the sexual energy in order to grow spiritually. The word multiply refers to the procreation of the human species.

There are two types of children mentioned in the Bible: the children of God and the children of men. Children of God are those who are the outcome of Sexual Magic, when there is no spilling of semen. Children of men are those who are the outcome of passionate pleasure by the spilling of semen.

We need to engender children of God and then struggle for their spiritual growth. – Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

In Gnosis we seek spiritual birth through the transmutation of the sexual energy, which Jesus spoke of in the Gospel (John 3). However, as Samael Aun Weor explains, even the engendering of physical children can be accomplished without resorting to Fornication.

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